Star Tribune Twins beat writer La Velle E. Neal III must have been up bright and early this morning as he posted that the Minnesota Twins will not allow their two oldest coaches, bullpen coach Bob McClure, 68, and major league coach Bill Evers, 66, to work games this year due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Pete Maki, the minor league pitching coordinator, is in line to step in as the new bullpen coach, while Evers’ role is expected to be filled in the near future. McClure is on the left and Evers is on the right in the images above.
The Twins have also decided not to allow their radio team of Cory Provus and Dan Gladden to work road games this season. Provus, who joined the Twins in 2012, and Gladden, who is heading into his 21st season in the booth, will call all 60 games from the Twin Cities, watching road games on a monitor. It’s likely an attempt by the club to keep the traveling party as small as possible for health reasons.
José Alberto Rosario, a member of the Minnesota Twins’ Dominican Summer League roster, was suspended 50 games following a second positive test for a drug of abuse. The 5’9″ switch-hitting Rosario played pro ball for the first time in 2019 and was used primarily at second base (34 games) but also played 7 games in the outfield and appeared in two games as a relief pitcher.
The Minnesota Twins announced their 60-man roster for the 2020 season but it is not set in stone as changes can be made. Players are expected to report to Target Field on July 1 to start a second version of spring training. Fernando Romero continues to have visa issues and is not expected in camp, at least to start. One or more of these players may also have been exposed to the Coronavirus and may not report as scheduled but they have not been identified as yet. The 2020 MLB season is expected to open
